What do you see as the main points that differentiate Sharq Law Firm from your competitors?

Situated in one of the world’s most prominent countries and fast-growing economies, Sharq Law Firm prides itself on being one of Qatar’s leading and most prestigious law firms. Through Qatar’s 2030 vision of becoming “an advanced society capable of sustaining its development and providing a high standard of living for its people”, Sharq Law Firm serves as an instrument to achieve that vision.

Sharq Law Firm a full-service law firm, providing legal advice and expertise regarding a wide-range of matters as it dedicates itself to providing clients with excellent services.

Within our litigation department, these services include representing clients before the Civil Court of First Instance, the Court of Appeal, and the Court of Cassation, representing clients before the Court of First Instance for Misdemeanours and Felonies, the Court of Appeal, and the Court of Cassation, representing clients before the Rental Dispute Resolution Committee, representing clients before the Labor Dispute Resolution Committee, and representing clients before the Public Prosecution and police stations.

The representation of clients includes, but is not limited to, the following claims and authorities:

Within our corporate and commercial department, these services are not limited to however include restructuring companies, advising international and local clients on the structure management and the internal governance of organizations, conducting due diligence in M&As, representing lenders, guarantors, and managers in facility agreements and bond issuance including both public and private entities, banking and finance, preparing facility agreements and advising on the listing of companies on the Qatar Stock Exchange, and issuing bonds.

In regard to our Arbitration and Construction team, we pride ourselves on providing consultations to avoid conflicts and therefore solve them via alternative measures, drafting, reviewing and providing consultations with regards to all key construction contracts (including FIDIC contracts, engineering and construction contracts, and drafting contracts for governmental departments and project owners in designing the forms of their contracts), and providing legal advice in regard to the risks that may arise from contract formation.

Our industry sector expertise is within the following: accounting, automotive, banking, consumer goods and services, energy, entertainment, financial services, food and beverage, government and public policy, healthcare, industrials and manufacturing, insurance, investment management, logistics, media, natural resources, oil and gas, real estate, social infrastructure, sports, technology and telecommunications, tourism, and transport.

We pride ourselves on placing the needs of our clients above all else and ensuring that a first-rate outcome is achieved. Our team of proficient, qualified, and diverse lawyers provide a valuable and novel insight of legal knowledge which allows them to be apt in handling a variety of complex matters both in the Qatari market and internationally.

As a leading law firm, we aim to work on deals and transactions that have never been raised in the Qatari market as we do not believe in simply following precedents but rather setting precedents. As a full flag service law firm, innovation is one of our key strengths; a quality we have achieved that makes us stand out from others. We aim to always take forward cases, deals, and transactions that are relatively new to the Qatari legal system as we believe in the importance of the impact they will achieve in the world. We make it our first and foremost responsibility to never give up on the proceedings of every matter that has been presented to us as we eventually set precedents on articles and transactions that have never been tested or carried in the Qatari market.

This approach is followed by all our departments; whether our Corporate and Commercial Department, our Litigation Department, or our Arbitration and Construction Department and we continue to follow this approach as we believe in the mark that our firm will leave not only on Qatar, but on the Middle East as well.

Which practices do you see growing in the next 12 months? What are the drivers behind that?

As Qatar’s economy continues to grow, it is considered one of the fastest-growing economies not only in the Middle East, but in the world. This therefore results in an array of new and exciting projects, and never-before seen advancements in the legal practice. We have seen a wide development in the corporate side of the market as we have acted as the local counsel for Qatar’s first ever reverse acquisition. First of its kind in light of the recent Law No. (8) of 2021 amending the Commercial Companies Law, in addition to the Qatar Financial Markets Authority’s (QFMA) Board Decision No. (4) of 2020 Concerning the Issuance of Offering & Listing of Securities on the Financial Markets Rulebook, which introduces the acquisition by share swap, this deal has been established as being both innovative and novel. Through this transaction, we have provided an insight, a legal base, and a kind of precedent for future transactions regarding reverse acquisitions in Qatar. We have also seen impressive growth in IPOs and companies’ listing on the primary and secondary market of the Qatar Stick Exchange. Moreover, as Qatar continues to be a hub for investors wishing to gain from its natural reserves, and in light of the hosting of the FIFA World Cup 2022 and the Arab Cup 2022 and the issuance of Law No. (1) of 2019 Promulgating the Investment of Foreign Capital in Economic Activity allowing foreigners to establish companies in Qatari without the condition of having a Qatari partner (except in certain fields specified by the law), there has been a substantive increase in the establishment of foreign companies within the jurisdiction of Qatar and the Qatar Financial Center (“QFC”). There has also been a tremendous growth in the trademarks, trade data, trade names, copyright, geographical indications and industrial designs and models, especially as Qatar prepares for the 2023-2024 Horticultural Expo, the AFC Asian Cup 2023, the AFC U23 Asian Cup 2024, and the Formula 1 Qatar Grand Prix. Since Qatar has established itself as one of the leading forums for sports events, we aim to see several developments in the field of sports as well.

This is in addition to several companies and individuals opting the use of arbitration as a dispute resolution mechanism allowing parties the ability of choosing the arbitration seat, jurisdiction, and language used which is considered beneficial especially for foreign companies.

Is technology changing the way you interact with your clients, and the services you can provide them?

Sharq Law Firm is the first Qatari law firm that has become paper-less throughout all its departments; especially within our Litigation Department which usually requires the most amount of paper due to the large volume of case files and issued judgements. As such, we sought to find a way to minimize the wide use of the amount of paper that is being consumed as thus we developed the software in which the case files are incorporated in the software and are accessible online to all the team members working on the case. We therefore coordinated with the owner to customize a tailored software which allows Qatari law firms to meet all of the clients’ needs through paperless means to the point that even the outcomes of hearings can now immediately reach the client via text. The software also incorporates the electronic signature which has facilitated matters that require signature achieving the aim of a paperless working environment.

Moreover, after the Covid-19 pandemic, we have introduced remote working and incorporated the required technological means to assure that our clients’ needs are met, and they are not deprived of their rights in the wake of the obstacles that the pandemic has impeded in.

Can you give us a practical example of how you have helped a client to add value to their business?

We at Sharq Law Firm value our client’s interests and are committed to ensuring that their cases and matters are handled as smoothly as possible; this is why we have incorporated in our daily tasks the measure of providing our clients with updates regarding the legal services we provide them with; which is considered both time and cost-effective for them.

Moreover, we make it our responsibility to follow-up on any concerns our clients may have, as we provide them with more than they request through ensuring their entire benefit rather than simply what is asked from us. When attending to our clients we look at the bigger picture as our knowledge on legal procedures is supplemented by commercial awareness. We ensure that all departments/teams are able to advise on business while understanding the commercial objective of the client in providing the legal advice. We offer value added seminars to educate our clients on legal updates. In addition, we publish newsletters, articles and legal reviews for our clients at no extra cost. We also spread awareness on legal updates and information through different platforms including social media, journals and newspapers that are easily accessible to the general public. All our clients receive a personalized service which is tailored to their specific needs and requirements, for instance, we also have created new packages for start-ups in Qatar which enable SMEs to commence their businesses with a basic legal structure by providing a set of templates for the essential requirements relating to each SME.

Senior Partner Rashid Al Saad also explained the practical example of organizing a free of cost workshop for a firms’ clients tailored to educate and train their employees in Qatari law. Prior to the workshop, their employees were educated in different legal systems based on common law, hence the workshop was highly beneficial for the client as it focused on the skills required.

Are clients looking for stability and strategic direction from their law firms - where do you see the firm in three years’ time?

Sharq Law Firm has and continues to substantially grow as the leading local law firm in Qatar. We attribute our success to several factors, such our distinguished team of professional lawyers, our immense experience in the Qatari market, but first and foremost putting the needs and success of our clients before our own. We believe that we are only as successful as the clients who put their faith in us; as they are the founding steps to the growth and development of our firm. When a client chooses us to be their voice in an array of legal cases and matters, we ensure that we use that voice at the top of our lungs to ensure that their concerns are heard and solved. At the time being, this voice has been the loudest in the Qatari market; however, in three years’ time we aim not only to be the top law firm in Qatar, but the top law firm in the Middle East.